Machine for separating dirt and rocks from beans



July 6, 1937. c. ECKHART, JR' 2,036,408

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING DIRT AND ROCKS FROM BEANS Filed Aug. 21, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor ("7m rias'flrman ZZZ/1k argJ A Home];

July 6, 1937'.

MACHINE FOR C. H. ECKHART, JR

Filed Aug. 21, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIII Invenlor a I I I I I I lzariasjk'rfizan 171% $0 rigJlr July 6, 1937. c. H. ECKHART, JR

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING DIRT AND ROCKS FROM BEANS Filed Aug. 21, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Inventor [Zarwfirm an flak/2a r5; J):

A llorney Patented July 6, 1937 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR SEPARATING DIET AND ROCKS FROM BEANS 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for separating dirt and rocks from hulled beans.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the character referred to that will efiiciently separate dirt and rocks ofthe same size or approximately the same size as the hulled beans from the beans, that is fairly reliable for its intended purpose, very simple to operate, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is disclosed an embodiment of the invention,

but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals designate corresponding parts:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of Figure 3 and. looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a' transverse section through the machine.

Figure 4 is an end elevation at the discharge end of the machine.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the buffer plate removed from the machine.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the guard plates removed from the machine.

| Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the angle brackets removed from the machine.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A indicates a rectangular frame preferably formed of hard wood which is open at the top and bottom thereof. The frame is adapted to be supported on an inclined foundation B. Frame A is formed with upright end walls II) which merge with upright side walls ll.

' The conveyor roll C of a uniform'diameter is disposed lengthwise within the frame and this conveyor roll is disposed'at an incline from the discharge end to the receiving end thereof. The conveyor roll C is supported on drive shaft 12, the ends of which are journalled in the end walls l0.- One end of the shaft l2 extends outwardly of one end wall and has a drive pulley l3 thereon which serves to rotate the roll C when '55 the pulley is driven from any suitable source of power. In the form of the roll illustrated it is made with a hard wood core I3 fixed at the center to the shaft [2, and around the periphery of the core is secured a rubber mat M. On the surface of the mat, there are corrugations consisting of spaced, radially outstanding ribs l5 of substantially inverted V-shaped cross section, between which ribs are arcuate channels IS. The ribs and channels are uniform in height and depth respectively, and extend from one end of the roll to the other. The ribs 15 and the channels l6 extend at a slight angle with respect to the axis of the roll. Supported on the frame A at the higher end thereof is the feed hopper H which has a discharge spout l8 directed at the periphery of the conveyor roll to one side of a perpendicular plane passing through the diameter of the roll. From the hopper H the aggregate mass of beans, rock and dirt to be cleaned by the machine are fed upon the higher end of the roll from where they gravitate to the lower end of the roll while the roll is turning.

In the end wall I!) at the lower end of the roll there is a discharge opening 19 and leading from the discharge opening H3 is a chute 20. The opening [9 is on the side of the roll opposite to the feed hopper i'l.

Extending lengthwise of the frame and continuous with the length of the roll C is a buffer plate 2i and spaced equidistantly from the buffer plate 2! are the guard plates 22, 23, and 24, u

there being preferably three in number of these guard plates. The buffer plate 2| and the guard plates are disposed edgewise at an inclination with respect to the radius of the roll, and considering the roll to normally turn in a clockwise direction with respect to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that the angle of their inclination is an acute angle with respect to the leading surface of the conveyor roll. The buffer plate 2i and the guard plates are secured in clamped relation at their upper portions between confronting faces of a pair of strips or bars 26, 21, and the ends of the strips are bolted as at 28 to the angle bars 29. The angle bars are bolted as at 38 to the end Walls ll] of the frame A.

The free edge of the buffer plate 2| and the guard'plates 22, 23, and 24, have wiping engagement with the peripheral ribs on the roll. Buffer plate 2| is disposed to one side of a perpendicular plane passing through the axis of the conveyor roll H3. The edge of the innermost guard plate 22 contacts the conveyor rollsubstantially along the perpendicular plane passing through the axis of the roll, while the other guard plates 23, 2d are on the opposite side of the perpendicular plane passing through the roll from the buffer plate 21!. The discharge spout N5 of the feed deposits beans and refuse between the buffer plate 2i and the innermost guard plate 22, and the buffer plate prevents the beans and refuse from falling oif the periphery of the roll. The buffer plate 2| and the guard plates bear upon the ribs of the roll on a segment thereof above the horizontal diameter, and it will be seen that beans and other refuse are deposited on this upper segment of the roll.

Buffer plate 2! and the guard plates are made to flex in the direction of the turning of the roll, and for this purpose they are made of celluloid or spring steel of suitable thickness. Buffer plate 2| is formed with spaced slots 3| extending from the wiping edge outwardly, a portion of the width of the plate. Likewise the guard plates 22, 23, and 24, are formed with spaced slots 32 extending from the wiping edge outwardly a portion of the width of the plate, and these slots are clearly shown in Figure 6 of the drawings where one of the guard plates is shown. Slots 32 in the guard plates are spaced closer together than the slots 3! on the buffer plate. Between the slots 32 are the wiping fingers 33. vThe fingers 33 are flexible independently of one another so that stones in the area of one finger will not impart distortion to the adjoining fingers.

While I have shown and described the conveyor roll to be formed of hard wood with a rubber mat secured to the surface thereof, it is within the contemplation of the invention to form the roll it of steel having ribs and channels formed in the steel periphery, the same as are formed in the periphery of the rubber mat.

The beans, dirt and rocks are fed to the higher endof therotating conveyor roll from the feed hopper ll. As the beans come in contact with the guard plates, the beans being smooth, they slide along the corrugations of the conveyor roll toward the lower end where they are discharged at the lower end through a discharge chute 20. When the beans, dirt or rocks come in contact with the guard plates, the dirt and rocks being rough, the corrugations on the roller drag them under the guards and therefore separate the dirt and rocks from the beans. When a piece of dirt or rock goes under the innermost guard plate 22, sometimes the beans will follow through the opening at the same time, but as the dirt and rock have to pass under the adjacent guard plates 23, 2 3, before they fall under the machine, the beans are carried downwardly'on the periphery of the roll between the guard plates to discharge through the opening l9 and the chute 20.

The buffer plate and the guard plates are disposed in parallel relation in respect to the axis of the roll. One end of the guard plates and the buffer plate is straight and bears against the inner face of the lower end wall l0, while the other ends of the buffer plate and guard plates are notched as at St. The notched ends of the buffer plate and the guard plates overlap the upper corner; of a segmental bar 35 secured to the upper end wall Ill, thereby making a snug fit to prevent end thrust in the buffer plate and the guard plates.

, Having described my invention, what'is claimed as new is 7 Inabean cleaning machine comprising a frame, a cylindrical roll journalled in the frame at an incline and having the outer surface thereof formed with spaced ribs and intervening channels extending at'a slight angle with respect to the axis of the roll, a buffer plate carried by the frame having an edge thereof wiping on the surface of the roll to one side of the vertical diameter thereof, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible guard plates carried by the frame and having their edges in wiping engagement with the surface of the roll, a feed hopper having a discharge spout directed on the roller between the buffer plate and the contiguous guard plate at the higher end of the roll, and a discharge chute at the lower end of the roll.

2. In a bean cleaning machine comprising a frame, a cylindrical roll journalled in the frame at an incline and having theouter surface thereof formed with spaced ribs and intervening channels extending at a slight angle with respect to the axis of the roll, a buffer plate carried by the frame having an edge thereof wiping on thesurface of the roll to one side of the vertical diameter thereof, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible guard plates carried by the frame and having their edges in wiping engagement with the surfaceof the roll, a feed hopper having a discharge spout directed on the roller between the buffer plate and the contiguous guard plate at the higher end of the roll, and a discharge chute at the lower end of the roll, said buffer plate and the guard plates being disposed in parallel relation to the axis of the roll;

3. In a bean cleaning machine comprising a frame, a cylindrical roll journalled in the frame at an incline and having the outer surface thereof formed withj spaced ribs and intervening channels extending at a slight angle with respect to the axis of the roll, a buifer plate carried by the frame having an edge thereof wiping on the surface of the roll to one side of the vertical diameter thereof, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible guard plates carried by the frame and having their edges in wiping engagement with the surface of the roll, a feed hopper having a discharge spout directed on the roller between the buifer plate and the contiguous guard plate at the higher end of the roll, and a discharge chute at the lower end of the roll, said buffer plate and the guard plates being disposed in parallel relation to the axis of the roll, and said buifer plate and guard plates being slotted from the wiping edge inwardly a portion of the width'of the plate to provide sections that flex independently of one another. 1

4.111 a'bean'cleaning machine comprisinga frame, a cylindrical roll journalled in the frame at an incline and having the outer periphery formed with spaced ribs and intervening -chan-' nels extending at a slight angle with respectto the axis of the roll, a buffer plate carried by the frame having an edge thereof in wiping engagement with the ribs of the roll to one sideof the vertical diameter, a plurality of circume I having a discharge spout directed on' the roller between the buffer plate and the contiguous guard plate at the higher end of the roll, and

a discharge chute at the lower end of the roll. I v 5. In a bean cleaning-machine comprising a 75 cylindrical roll journaled in the frame with its axis on an incline and having spaced ribs in its periphery extending at a slight angle with respect to the axis of the roll, an entrance spout for the aggregate of beans and refuse carried by the frame at the higher end of the roll and discharging on the roll on the trailing half thereof relative to the direction of rotation, a discharge spout for the clean beans carried by the frame at the lower end of the roll, an edgewise disposedv rigid bufier plate carried by the frame and the said trailing half of the roll and having one edge thereof in wiping contact with the ribs, and at least one edgewise disposed guard 5 plate having flexible portions in wiping engagement with the ribs on the roll, said guard plate carried by the frame and situated on the leading half of the roll.

6. In a bean cleaning machine, a frame, a roll carried by the frame and provided with ribs on its periphery extending at a. slight angle with respect to the axis of the roll, a rigid bufier plate connected with the frame and having wiping engagement with the ribs on the trailing half of the roll relative to the rotation thereof, and at least one guard plate connected with the frame and having a flexible portion in wiping contact on the leading half of the roll relative to the rotation thereof.

CHARLES HARMAN ECKHART, JR. 

